Eastern City States
Races The Eastern City States have vastly different ecosystems than the west due to the isolation that [[The Pale]] provides. Because of this they have ecosystems foreign to the west, and most strikingly completely different sentient races, The races indigenous to the west are all but extinct in the east. The main sentient races in the east are as follows. Cities '''GENASI''' Genasi, at first glance might be assumed to be, like the Goliaths, altered humans, however this is far from the truth. The Genasi are an old race steeped in their traditions. Genasi are beings infused with nature, however that doesn't mean they dislike civilisation, they simple mold their civilisations around their ecosystem rather than the other way around. Similar to how humans are the most common race in the west, Genasi are the most common race in the east, they are adaptable, they fill their own niches, but other than those two things, and the fact that they can all interbreed, the similarities seemingly stop there (unless we delve deep into their genetics and ancestry). Aarakocra The more "civilised" of the two bird races, Aarakocra tend to live at high altitudes in small colonies, they tend to avoid the infighting of the city states and prefer their meditation and self improvement upon mountain tops. They are the only Air Genasi Air Genasi don't have permanent cities, they live as nomads roaming and preferring the colder climates. They live in the tundra, and are not above trickery. They in fact hunt, by using their unending breath, involving trickery, It is not unusual for a hunting trip to consist of an air Genasi to stand perfectly still with shrubbery or other flora as disguise and wait for an unsuspecting animal to get close, and strike quickly. They tend to be Barbarians, Druids, Monks, rangers, rogues, sorcerers, or warlocks Earth Genasi ''' '''Earth Genasi are the rarest to find, their numbers are as secret as their homes. A typical Earth Genasi belongs to an order, and shadow monks are common among them. They love secrets and their arts often reflect the circle of life, particularly the earthen part, where the nutrients lie waiting to begin again. To an Earth Genasi, it's order and it's sanctum (where the order is based) is more important than it's own life. they tend to live in hidden nooks and caves within mountain ranges, purges are common for societies as well, "cut off the limb that sickens you, for it is now purposeless", this is the mentality they have for wayward members, opposing orders, and deviants within their societies. If you ever encounter a Earth Genasi, you didn't seek out purposefully it is probably in exile. They are like Dwarves if they were all in a secret society focused on the life and death cycle. They tend to be Clerics, Fighters, Monks, Paladins, Rogues, Sorcerers, or Wizards. Fire Genasi ''' '''Fire Genasi are the most martial of the Genasi and obviously prefer hot dry climates, they tend to be greedier but often don't deal with money, preferring to make deals, each Genasi tends to have multiple deals going at once. their culture is black and white (They use the terms cold and warm.) revolving around items being sterile or dirty, pure or impure, cold or warm. Their capital is by the volcano, (a sterilizing heat source) and they like the shrub-lands to the eastern side of the mountainside near the volcano. A mainstay of Fire Genasi culture is giving and returning favours rather than merely money. And due to their hotheads, they are the most likely to have a problem with authority. They tend to be Barbarians, Bards, Fighters, Paladins, Sorcerers, Warlocks, or Wizards. Kenku & Goliath Kenku are seen as savages by the Aarakocra. All Kenku can trace their lineage to a town lost to time within The Pale, and so they are a rarity outside of their city. As the survivors made their way east (after the creation of the pale) to safety they discovered they were slowly altering, they could fly less and less until they could no longer fly at all, their ability to create new ideas was lost, and they discovered they could simply mimic heard sounds to communicate rather than arrange their own sentences. However not all was lost, as their lifespan was almost doubled and they are generally quicker. They finally found refuge with another new species, their kin in that they are both twisted versions of the originals; The Goliaths. The Kenku were not the only race twisted by [[The Pale]], Goliaths are the remnants of humans that populated ancient mountains within The Pale. They, like the Kenku, are altered versions of the originals, most would agree they are better off than their brethren however not to their faces as Goliaths and Kenku treat each other as kin and don't take disrespect well from outsiders. Plant life was scarce up upon the mountains and so the Goliaths were not as changed as their avian friends, however there are noticeable differences between humans and Goliaths. Firstly Goliaths are naturally stronger than their ancestors and are naturally adapted to higher altitudes, the cold doesn't bother them, and they are more than happy to climb to Aarakocran monasteries to loot whatever they can for their livelihood, and to humiliate the haughty Aarakocra. The Pale may have taken their home, however Goliaths are survivors and natural selection has left them with only the strongest. [[Mapleton]] Water Genasi ''' '''Water Genasi tend to be carefree. The closer to the coast the more common they are. Water Genasi tend to be the most open of the Genasi. They like to "go with the flow". Their capital city is a mystery to most of the other Genasi, who have only heard of it from secondhand stories told to them by water Genasi (who are all born there) A mother Genasi will migrate to the capital to birth her baby, for they believe the waters there, and only there, have the perfect conditions for a healthy Genasi and will imbue it with the wisdom the water Genasi have. The capital city isn't a secret, it's just underwater and almost impossible to reach without water breathing abilities. They tend to get along with other calm sea life and are allies with the mermaids. They are often happy creatures, but if asked about the terrors of the deep they grow tight lipped and secretive. They tend to be Bards, Clerics, Druids, Rangers, or Sorcerers DM Areas Factions History Important NPC's Other Maps Points of Interest Religion Various